Zakat on a Jointly-Owned Herd (Khultah)

Short answer: For a herd grazed jointly by multiple owners (khultah), zakat is assessed on the combined total of animals as if it were one herd. This is based on the principle that the property of different people should not be artificially combined nor should joint property be split to avoid paying the correct zakat. Each owner pays zakat according to his share of the total, but the nisab (minimum threshold) is determined by the entire herd. Details: The hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari 1450 explicitly states: 'Neither the property of different people may be taken together nor the joint property may be split for fear of (paying more, or receiving less) Zakat.' This means that when animals are mixed in a genuine partnership (khultah), the zakat is calculated on the whole herd, not on each owner's portion separately. For example, if two people each own 30 sheep (below nisab of 40), but together they have 60 sheep, zakat becomes obligatory on the combined herd. The owners are then each liable for the zakat proportional to their share (e.g., half the zakat each). Conversely, if one person has 100 sheep and another has 20, they cannot combine to reduce the zakat rate. The same principle applies to camels, cattle, and goats. Evidence: 1. Sahih al-Bukhari 1450 – The Prophet (peace be upon him) prohibited both the joining of separate properties and the splitting of joint properties to manipulate zakat liability. 2. Sahih al-Bukhari 1454 and 1453 provide the detailed rates for livestock zakat, confirming that assessment is based on the total number of animals owned, whether individually or jointly. Note: If the herd is truly mixed (shared grazing, watering, and milking place, etc.), it is treated as a single unit for zakat purposes. However, if the mixing is only temporary or not a genuine partnership, each owner’s animals are assessed separately. Consult a scholar for complex cases involving different species or partial ownership.